Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin is so good for you, why do we only eat it during the last 3 months of the year? I used a recipe from Martha Stewart as my base, but I switched it up a bit. Here is my version.

PUMPKIN PANCAKES
(with homemade buttermilk syrup and fresh squeezed orange juice makes for some happy kids in the morning!)

I presoaked my grains for these pancakes. Which meant the night before I combine 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and about 2 cups of kefir. Stir together just to combine and be sure all your flour is wet.

In the morning I added
2 Tbs. honey
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
pinch of cloves
3/4 cup pumpkin
2 eggs

Stir to combine and cook on hot griddle. Top with buttermilk syrup.

Teryaki sauce

This is soooo easy to make and very flavorful. We are big fans of Chinese Food, so this sauce will be a definite repeat.

This meal came together really fast. I whipped up some meatballs, steamed some broccoli, cooked some delicious Jasmine rice and made the sauce in about 35 minutes. It was a yummy dinner.

Teryaki Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce (I used liquid aminos)
1 cup water
1/2 tsp ground ginger (I am not a huge ginger fan so I just did a few shakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbs honey
Mix above ingredients in a sauce pan and start to warm up. In a small bowl mix 2 Tbs cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water. Add to the sauce pan and stir constantly until thickened. If you cook it too long and get it too thick, you can thin it with a few Tbs. water.

Peanut Butter Pie

This dessert is nothing but delicious! Full of all kinds of stuff that should be eaten on only special occasions. We had a huge crowd for Thanksgiving and I baked a few things to go on the table. I needed to make another pie, so I searched for something no bake, this one looked good and it did not disappoint! Andy asked me to leave it at our house so he could enjoy it all himself. It tastes like a yummy Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, YUM!

Peanut Butter Pie

The picture and original recipe are from allrecipes and are linked at the bottom.


3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
4 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar (the original called for more, but it was just fine reduced)
1 12 oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 9 inch prepared chocolate cookie or graham cracker crust

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix together peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar. Then stir whipped topping into peanut butter mixture. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain.
2. Pour filling into pie crust and refrigerate for about 3 hours until pie is firm.
You can fancy up the topping how ever you would like. I drizzled chocolate syrup on top and sprinkled milk chocolate chips.

Recipe here:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Smooth-and-Creamy-Peanut-Butter-Pie/Detail.aspx

Chicken Stock

A few weeks ago I bought some local natural raised chickens. They were whole and had never been frozen. (there were even quite a few feathers left on!) I cooked them up right away and cut off all the meat to use later in enchiladas or soup or something. I did my usual routine with the bones and skin - made stock.

For stock, you can use whatever you can get your hands on. Fryer chickens are sometimes really cheap at the local grocery store. You can bake them, cut off the meat and use the carcass. If you buy one of those rotisserie chickens from Costco, save the bones. I have also heard of people using chicken wings to make stock.

This is such an easy thing to make and great to have on hand. You know exactly what is in it, no strange additives, no mysterious ingredients.

Chicken Stock


Clean as much meat and fat from the bones as you can. Put the carcasses in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil (this is important as the boil will cause any fat to float to the top and you can skim it off). Boil the carcass for about 30 minutes. You can keep your stuff on the stove, but for convenience I prefer using my crock pot on high at this point. After the pot has boiled on the stove about 30 minutes, skim the top again and pour everything into your crock pot. Then add some carrots, celery, onion, a bay leaf or two and some salt and pepper. There is no set amount but you probably want at least 3 or 4 carrots and one big onion. All the veggies need to be cleaned and roughly chopped. They will get discarded later so they dont need to look great.
Simmer in your crock pot for about 3 hours. Pull out all the big pieces and pour the liquid thru a fine strainer. You can use it immediately or freeze it for use in later dishes.
2 carcasses covered with water should make about 2 1/2 quarts of stock.

Black Bean Burgers

A friend of mine recently saw this recipe in a magazine and shared it with me. I was so glad she did. What a fun way to switch up dinner. They were easy and came together quickly. Since the "patty" had raw eggs in it, I couldnt test the taste until they were finished. Next time I will add more spices, this dinner is definitely a repeat!

Black Bean Burgers


2 Tbs oil
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 15 oz can of black beans (I used my own precooked beans, 2 cups plus a few Tbs. of water)
1 large egg, beaten
1 Tbs. cumin
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
salt and pepper
*next time I will add hamburger seasoning or taco seasoning also

Preheat oven to 375

Warm oil in skillet and add celery and onion stir a few minutes and then add garlic. Pour beans into a bowl and mash to a thick paste (I did this in my food processor) Add celery mixture to beans and stir in egg, cumin and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper. Form into 4 patties and bake on a baking sheet until firm and set, about 10 min. on each side.

While they are baking cut up all the garnishes.

Remove from the oven and serve on whole wheat buns and top like a regular hamburger. We used the works, lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayo, etc.

Spelt Tortillas

A few days ago, a friend of mine dropped off some tortillas she made along with the recipe. Good thing she included the recipe, because they were worthy of repeating! Delicious, and simple to make. (not to mention CHEAP!!)

Homemade spelt tortillas

1 1/2 cups spelt flour, fresh ground is best.
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs. oil
3/4 cup hot water

mix all ingredients, cover and let sit in a warm place for 20 min. divide into 8 balls and let sit covered for another 20 minutes. Roll each out into a thin circle and cook on skillet. If they are too thin they will cook up fast and will need to be watched closely so they dont get crispy.

TIPS:
* the dough is a little sticky so when you are rolling it out be sure to flour your counter and rolling pin really well.
* I liked them rolled out a little thicker, they were easier to cook and work with.
* Once you are done cooking them, place them in a container with wet paper towels in between them. They will stay soft and pliable this way.

German Pancakes and syrup

There are lots of German Pancake recipes out there. And people call them lots of different things. Hootenanny Pancakes, German Pancakes, Oven Pancakes...

I got this recipe quite a few years ago from a friends mom. We had taken a road trip from Arizona to Utah, and got in late at night. The next morning these puffy pancakes were served for breakfast. I had never even seen or heard of them, but loved them! I asked for the recipe and whenever I look at it, I still remember that long road trip and the kind gesture of my friends mother.

German Pancakes
(these are my pancakes with the syrup simmering in the background. There is also a pan of barley that i had just cooked up for Maggie)

Beat together:
6 Tbs butter, melted
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
whip them together really well, the more air you can get in them when whipping them the more fluffy they will be. Bake 425 for 25 - minutes.

while they are cooking, make the syrup:

1 cup sugar (I use honey but the authentic recipe calls for sugar)
2 Tbs. corn starch
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
2 cups apple cider (we had some fresh pressed cider and it was DELICIOUS!)

Incorporate all ingredients in a pan and simmer until its clear. This syrup is good on pancakes or waffles or any hot breakfast breads.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

We had a little appetizer party yesterday, and here is a recipe I adapted from a friend. Andy turned his nose up at the name of it, but I demand he at least try it. After he tasted it and admitted it was good, he suggested they change the name as "Spinach" and "Artichoke" do not sound appealing, especially when you are a male.

Spinach Artichoke Dip
(I am such a terrible food photographer!)
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
dash of Worcester sauce
salt pepper to taste
14 oz can artichokes
small box frozen spinach

whip all ingredients together and spread in an oven safe dish. Warm thru. 350 for about 20 minutes.

We scooped ours up with homemade corn chips. YUM!

Mock Refried Beans

This is an easy recipe to make refried beans, without actually cooking them a second time. You just throw everything in your crock pot, let it cook away, then you mash it all up and VIOLA! Re fried Beans.

I cooked a big pot of these, and just put the leftovers in the freezer. They will be good for bean burros or tostadas on a night when I am in a hurry.

A LITTLE SIDE NOTE: I was lucky enough to have some delicious homemade tamales to eat along with the yummy beans. The tamales were the ABSOLUTE BEST I have ever had (and I have eaten a lot of tamales in my day!) My friend and her family buy whole corn, cut it off the cob and grind it themselves to make masa for their tamales. Which just supports my whole thinking on food, homemade is always best. Time consuming? Yes. But always best. Getting as basic as you can always yields the best results.

Re Fried Beans

1 large onion, diced (or about 1/2 cup dried onion flakes)
*About 4 cups dried pinto beans*see note below
2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and diced OR 1 can of diced green chili for a milder flavor
4 Tbs. minced garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
salt
pepper
taco seasoning


Sort and rinse beans then leave to soak overnight. *(The beans will bulk up after a soak on the counter, so be sure and adjust the recipe to the size of your crock pot. I have a large crock pot so I had no problem fitting this into my pot.)

After beans have soaked for 12 - 24 hours rinse them really well and dump them into your crock pot. Add onion, peppers, garlic and cumin. Pour enough water in the crock pot to cover the beans. Let it cook on high for about 8 hours. Check to be sure the water does not get all absorbed in the cooking process and add more if needed. Once beans are are soft, turn off your crock pot and drain out the water, but reserve it for later.

Mash up the beans with a potato masher (I used a pastry cutter) If the beans are too thick, add in some of the reserved water. The beans should be about the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Taste the beans, if they need more flavor add taco seasoning, salt, pepper, salsa, cheese, sour cream, whatever sounds good until the flavor is to your liking.

I added in about 3 Tbs. taco seasoning and some salsa while I was mashing. Then my husband topped his bowl of beans with cheese and sour cream. Very versatile and easy dish.

Favorite Potato Bread

My sister in law made this bread on Sunday for dinner. It was delicious. The recipe is written out for a bread machine, and it stated that it made one loaf. Here is what I ended up with:
A loaf of bread big enough to make sandwiches for Paul Bunyan. Next time I will split it into 2. This recipe is great to make if you have a Kitchen Aid because the dough is not very substantial. A Kitchen Aid could handle it just fine, I think.

I added some whole wheat to the recipe and it did not take away from it at all, the bread is soft soft soft.

1 1/2 cups luke warm water
2 Tbs. butter
2 tsp. salt
4 cups bread flour (I used 2 cups white and 2 cups wheat)
4 tsp. sugar (I used 2 tsp)
1/2 cup potato flakes
2 1/2 tsp yeast

dissolve yeast in water. Combine all other ingredients in mixer. Slowly add yeast mixture and mix until combined. Knead in mixer about 3 or 4 minutes, until dough is smooth and shiny.(If the dough does not smooth out, add a Tbs. or so of water.) Let raise for about an hour. Punch down and form into 2 loaves. Let it raise for about 30 minutes. Bake 350 for 25 minutes, checking periodically. You want it nice and brown on top, but not burnt.

Minestrone

A friend shared some of this soup with me the other day. It was spectacular! Since it is the end of the gardening season for us, we eat a lot of soups in the fall to help clean things out. Minestrone is a good versatile soup cuz you can add or subract almost anything you want.

In general, my kids will eat anything. They had a hard time with the spinach in this soup. I think next time I make it, I will use fresh spinach and chop it up more so its not so clumpy and stringy in the soup. It didnt bother me, but they were irritated that it kept falling off their spoons.

The original recipe (and the picture) are found here


This is my version:
8 cups chicken stock
2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced and save all juices
2 cups dried beans - rinsed in hot water. I used black and white beans
1 cup chopped carrots
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup uncooked pasta (I used whole wheat shells)
1 cup fresh grated zuchinni
1 cup fresh diced yellow squash

I rinsed my beans in hot water and soaked them overnight before I used them in this dish.
If you are using any variety of red beans, YOU MUST do a rapid-boil to kill a possible toxin that occurs naturally in red beans.

Add everything to the crock pot, cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the beans are soft. Add dry pasta, and cook on high for about 30 minutes.

Serve with bread sticks and enjoy!

Soaked Whole Wheat Pancakes

I try to always soak my wheat because it reduces the phytic acid. In general, whole grains have high levels of phytic acid, a substance that reduces our absorption of minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Phytic acid is becoming a hot topic on the internet, even Lance Armstrongs website is talking about it.

In all my reading, this explanation seemed the easiest to understand (aside from all the scientific terms)

Phytic acid (known as inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), or phytate) is the principal storage form of phosphorus in many plant tissues, especially in the grass family (wheat, rice, rye, barley etc) and beans. Phosphorus in this form is generally not bioavailable to humans because humans lack the digestive enzyme, phytase, required to separate phosphorus from the phytate molecule.

Phytate structure (Source)

Phytic acid binds to important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc and can therefore contribute to mineral deficiencies, as the minerals are not released from the phytate and are thus unavailable to the body. For people with a particularly low intake of essential minerals, especially young children and those in developing countries, this effect can be undesirable.

A common way in developing countries to increase the bioavailability of minerals from grains and beans is using fermentation. Many bacteria possess phytase activity and by fermenting grains or beans by lactic acid bacteria the phytate is destroyed and the bioavailability of the minerals is increased.

Phytic acid recently has been studied for its potential anti-carcinogenic properties. Recent studies have indicated that phytic acid may have some preventive effect in prostate, breast, pancreatic and colon cancer. The mechanism, however, is not yet understood.

If we can reduce the phytic acid in whole grains, our bodies can better absorb the minerals and the food is easier assimilated into our bodies. Here is an easy recipe for whole wheat pancakes, using the soaking method. It yeilds a light and fluffy pancake. Skip any boxed whole grain pancake mixes and give this a try, its easy and tasty too!

Whole Wheat Pancakes

3 cups fresh ground wheat flour
2 1/2 - 3 cups kefir
1/3 honey
2 T. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup powdered milk
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 eggs

About 24 hours before you plan to make your pancakes, combine wheat and kefir in a large bowl.

It does not need to be runny, just be sure to use enough kefir to moisten your wheat, like this:
Stir it up really good and cover it, I just set a plate on top of my bowl and it forms a sort of lid, you dont want to seal it tight, just cover it. Plastic wrap would work fine too. Let it sit on your counter for 12 - 24 hours.

When you are ready to make pancakes, add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl of soaked wheat. Whisk everything together and cook on a hot griddle.

These are yummy when they are topped with fresh fruit, yogurt, or homemade buttermilk syrup.
Extra pancakes can be stored in the freezer and cooked in the toaster on mornings you are in a hurry.

$50 Bucks

That is how much I spent in groceries last month.

I didnt use a debit card, or swipe my credit card one time.

Twice a month, Andy "pays" me enough money for food and groceries. In September, there was a bit of a snafu with the money and when Andy only gave me $50, I looked at it and thought it would be fun to see how long I could make it last. Well, I rationed it out and it covered 30 days. I went to the grocery store ONE TIME during the month. And other than that, I did not step foot in a store for an entire 30 days. No trips to Wal Mart for "just one thing" no late night runs to the grocery store for "just milk".

I often ask myself if I could live as a pioneer. The hardest thing for me to give up would be food. I could go without a shower, with out electricity, I would love to live off my garden and sew my families clothes. But the food...I would struggle with that. I love cooking and trying new recipes. If I were a pioneer I am certain that Curry and Naan would have never been served, and chocolate chip cookies would not be a regular treat in our house.

I understand that pioneers diets were limited, because their income and resources were. They didnt have a supermarket 5 minutes away that held millions of half prepared items inside. I thought it would be interesting to see if I could really get back to the basics, so I limited my income and resources for a month.

Granted, this can not happen every month in my house, our cupboards and freezer were full of random items that have now been used up and will not go to waste.

I buy a lot of items in bulk, so we have plenty of grains in this house. Wheat, spelt, millett, rice, various types of beans, ect. I used the bulk grains we have on hand and it seems like I barely dented my supply. I ground my own grains for biscuits, breads, tortillas, cookies, etc.

Even Maggie got homemade foods, ground or prepared right here in our own kitchen. She has been eating solids for about 3 months now and to date, I have purchased 1 box of rice cereal at the store. She eats millet, barley, and rice fresh ground from the organic bulk stuff I have on hand. And fruits and veggies pulled from our garden and shared from friends.

The biggest thing I did was simplify and MAKE everything from scratch. When I made chicken enchiladas, they were made with homemade tortillas (CHEAP and EASY!!), homemade cream of chicken soup (CHEAP and EASY!) white beans bought in bulk a few months ago (CHEAP!) and served with chips made from homemade tortillas (CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP!!!) and tomatoes from our garden (FREE!). Once I sat down and calculated the cost of that meal, I was astounded. It cost me less than $2 out of my pocket to make a 9 x 13 pan of chicken enchiladas, which fed us dinner and lunch the next day.

Here is a little summary of what we consumed:

breakfasts:
1. 12 grain cereal (no cost, purchased a few months ago. 50lbs of organic grain cereal only cost me $27, why doesnt everyone eat this stuff? I swear I am never going to get to the bottom of the bag!)
2. whole wheat pancakes and homemade syrup (no cost for anything, all items were on hand.)
3. scrambled eggs and toast from homemade bread (no cost, all items were on hand, we get eggs for free from my father in laws chickens)
4. blueberry muffins (no cost, all items on hand. I have 15 lbs of blueberries in my freezer that need used)
shakes/smoothies (cost of milk to make kefir, all other items on hand from bulk purchases in the past.)


lunches:
1. leftovers
2. peanut butter and jelly and applesauce (no cost. homemade bread, homemade jam, natural peanut butter purchased in bulk last month that needed to get used. homemade apple sauce)
3. quesadillas (homemade tortillas. cheese purchased from the store. Served with homemade salsa)
4. chips and salsa (No cost. homemade chips, homemade salsa.)
5. egg salad sandwiches (no cost. homemade bread, free eggs, condiments on hand)
6. salad (minimal cost, I used veggies from the garden, but had to buy some leafy greens)

dinner:
this was really the only place I spent money. I had to buy a few items to help me complete some meals. I always served fresh fruits or veggies on the side, which for the most part cost me nothing.

1. chicken enchiladas (almost no cost. everything was on hand but the cheese. I canned my own chicken last summer so I used that, made my own corn tortillas, made my own cream chicken, used chilis from my garden, served with garden tomatoes and homemade salsa and chips)
2. ham and bean soup (no cost, I got a ham bone from my mother in law and used beans and spices that I had on hand. served with homemade corn bread)
3. chicken noodle soup (almost no cost. all garden veggies, 1 chicken breast, homemade egg noodles and homemade rolls)
4. spaghetti (no cost. no meat. I had everything on hand. I rummaged in my food storage and found a can of spaghetti noodles that were nearing its expiration date, so we used them up and served them with home made sauce and tons of garden veggies and homemade bread sticks)
5. some nights we ate peanut butter and jelly
6. Brazillian Beans and rice (no cost. no meat. all items on hand)
7. Chicken roll ups (minimal cost. 1 chicken breast, homemade rolls, spices, and soup used)
8. Biscuits and gravy with eggs (no cost, no meat. homemade biscuits and pan gravy with fresh eggs)
9. pancakes (no cost. homemade pancakes, homemade syrup. served with homemade apple juice from a large apple harvest)
10. Macaroni and cheese (minimal cost. everything was on hand, but I did buy cheese and used it for this)
11. Minestrone with homemade rolls (no cost. All garden veggies, homemade chicken stock. Homemade herb rolls)
12. Salad (minimal cost. free garden veggies but I did buy leafy greens. I used old-ish bread to make croutons)
13. chicken fingers and fries (homemade chicken fingers and oven baked fries using spuds from the garden)
14. Sitaw, a traditional Philippino food. (minimal cost. brown rice, green beans from the garden, chicken and spices all on hand)

snacks:

1. apples (free from our trees)
2. veggies (from the garden)
3. hard boiled eggs (from the Father in Law)
4. Zucchini Bread (Zuchinni from the garden, all other baking items on hand)
5. carrot cake with no frosting (Carrots from the garden, all other baking items on hand)
6. bread and butter (homemade bread)
7. granola bars (homemade with items on hand)
8. popcorn (I bought a 25 lb bag of organic popcorn for $15 a few months ago and we are working our way thru it)
9. blueberry muffins (leftovers from breakfast)
10. Shakes/smoothies (cost of milk to make kefir)
11. cookies (no cost, all items on hand)
12. homemade pretzels (no cost, all items on hand)
13. applesauce (no cost, made last summer from a large apple crop)

I have to say, with all that homemade stuff, last month was not even hard. Meals were not extremely time consuming. It was great to really use the basics when feeding my family. For bulk items, I think if we had some wheat, beans, flour, sugar and butter on hand we could fare just fine. (sound familiar? FOOD STORAGE!!!)

This month I purchased butter, milk, cheese, chicken, and bananas, milk and a few other small items. Otherwise, I just used stuff I had around here. And my supplies are still full. I still have tons of grains and butter and chocolate chips.

Anyone can cut back their grocery bill this way. Cook your own food. Grow a garden. Get as basic as you can when preparing meals. Skip the box of Bisquick and find a recipe for biscuits and pancakes, homemade tastes so much better anyway. Make your own tortillas, and let your kids help. My boys love rolling out the corn dough and pressing it. Make your won syrup, sure it has sugar in it but its nothing compared to the stuff Aunt Jamima makes, and the taste surpasses store bought stuff too. Its easy and its cheap.

I think I will try this again in a few months. I am always over buying and keeping extra stuff in the freezer and cupboard. This helps me to use it up and get creative and forces me to hone my cooking/baking skills.

Beans

People often ask me how I get my family to eat less meat. For me, its easy. I supplement with beans.

If you could look in my freezer at any given time, you would see an assortment of frozen beans. Black beans, white beans, red beans, adzuki beans, pinto beans, etc. About once a week, I soak and cook up a big pot of each then divide them up into plastic bags and freeze them for later use. This is so much more economical than buying beans in a can. Have you seen the prices of one can of beans? Its ridiculous!!

Aside from the pinto beans I have purchased at the cannery, I buy all my beans in bulk from Azure Standard. I choose the organic ones and most of them are grown in the US. Even then, they work out to be cheaper than store bought canned beans.

Now, beans take a lot of forethought which I why I try to stay ahead of myself and have them in the freezer. Here is my process for making beans:

First, I sort out the beans. I always pick thru them carefully as I find lots of little rocks in them. I dont want my family to munch down on one of those! After sorting the beans, I put them in a bowl of water and let them soak for about 2 days. I drain and rinse them a few times while they are sitting on the counter. Then one morning after breakfast I give them one last good rinse and dump them in my crock pot. I cover the beans with water and let them cook all day until I am ready for bed. (Some beans will still absorb water as they cook, so watch them and add water if needed. You can always drain off extra later.) I turn them off and let them sit in the pot overnight. In the morning, they are cool and can be sorted into plastic bags. I put 2 or 3 cups in a bag and then put them in the freezer.

Then I can use them in a pinch when I am making dinner. I use them in Kellys chicken tortilla soup, chicken enchiladas, bean dip, white bean chili, and much more. I add beans to spaghetti to stretch it a little, I put beans in sloppy joes instead of using all meat, I have even made cookies using mashed white beans instead of butter.

We eat beans atleast 2 times a week, sometimes more. If I use a recipe that calls for ground beef, I usually cut the meat down by about 2/3 and fill use beans in its place. And the kind of beans I use depends on what I am cooking. White beans go good in casseroles and soups. Black and pinto beans serve as a good substitute for meat. Black and pinto also work well in any mexican dish to stretch it out a little.

I have been asked to store foods for "a rainy day" and beans are easy to store and cook (although the process is lengthy). So I am always looking for ways to use them and incorporate them in our diet. Not to mention they are CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP!!

Now, here is an easy recipe for a delicious bean dinner:
At Sunday dinner a few weeks ago, my mother in law cooked a ham. I bummed the bone off her and used it for ham and beans with cornbread. This was so easy and SUPER tasty!

about 8 cups of pinto beans, sorted and presoaked
1 large onion roughly chopped (I like the pieces cut big so I can fish them out later, I am not a fan of cooked onions)
ham bone with leftover meat on it
salt and pepper

Put everything in the crock pot on low and let it cook for about 10 hours. The leftover meat will fall off the bone as it cooks so there is no need to try and cut it off. Stir it around and get the bones and onion pieces out before serving.

I served it with cornbread and put the leftovers in a plastic bag in the freezer for an even easier meal in the future.

home made mac and cheese

I loathe Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. The ingredient list scares me and I dont even think it tastes very good. But apparently the American Public disagrees with me because according to a company spokesperson, "Kraft now sells more than one million boxes of the dinners every day"! Really? A million boxes A DAY? And how dare they call it dinner.

My little kids dont even recognize the famous blue box. We have eaten a few boxes of Annies Organic Mac and cheese in our time, but not enough for my kids to be huge fans. We only eat it about 2 times a year.

I am really trying to stick to a tight grocery budget this month, so I am forced to get inventive. Looking thru the cupboards, I realized I had some stuff that I could use to whip up some mac and cheese. It was really easy and pretty fast. Most importantly, it tasted like food.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces macaroni, cooked and drained (we used whole wheat shells)
  
• 2 cups fresh grated sharp Cheddar cheese (not the preshred stuff)
  
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (not the powdered stuff!)
  
• 3 cups milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I used wheat flour)
  
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pinch paprika
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Directions

1. In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick.
   
2. Combine sauce and macaroni. Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper.
   

I was just googling around for a picture and found this recipe:
http://www.evilshenanigans.com/2009/03/stove-top-macaroni-and-cheese/
I am going to try it next.

Homemade chips

I am not a huge fan of fried food, but we do eat it a few times a year.

Whenever I make (or buy) tortillas, there seems to always be some left over that we dont use up. If there are extras, I like to fry them up and make some chips with them. They taste a million and one times better than any store bought chips. Just cut up your corn or flour tortillas like a pie, and drop them in hot oil. Leave them for a few minutes til they get hard and start turning a little brown. VIOLA!!! You cant beat the taste. They are delicious! (and yes, I know not very healthy. But in my opinion homemade is always best!)

Sweet Pork Burritos

All this is off Sisters Cafe.

These burritos are the best ever! But they are super time intensive, so its nice to get a crowd in on the dinner. Give everyone an assignment and then eat pot luck style. These are great for a crowd because they are so versatile.

You can add whatever you want to your burrito. Just be sure and have all the fixings on hand: giant tortillas, salsa, tomatoes, avacado, sour cream, cheese, etc.

Shredded Sweet Pork

3 lb pork roast

1 c brown sugar

1 c Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp powdered ginger

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

2 Tb dried minced onions

Cook all ingredients in a crock pot on low all day (abt 8 hours). One hour before serving, remove roast and shred it. Dump out all cooking juices and place shredded pork back into crockpot and add...

1 c brown sugar

1 c red enchilada sauce

Cilantro Lime Rice

3 cups chicken stock

3 c white rice

4 tsp garlic, minced

1 Tb canola oil

2 Tb fresh lime juice

1/2 bunch of cilantro

1/2 onion

1 can green chilies

Blend cilantro, onion, and chilies in food processor. Add all ingredients to rice cooker and cook per directions. (you can use minute rice too, but I have never bought or used it so I dont know how to change it up)

Garlic Black Beans

1 can black beans (I use cooked beans from my food storage)

1/3 c tomato juice

2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp)

1 tsp cumin

2 Tb canola oil

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tb chopped cilantro

Heat oil then add cumin and garlic until garlic begins to pop. Add rest of ingredients and serve warm.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

3 tomatillos, peeled and quartered

juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 c buttermilk

1/2 c mayonnaise

1/2 c sour cream

1 pkg dry buttermilk ranch dressing

1 c fresh chopped cilantro

6 green onions with ends, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp)

3 tsp sugar

1 jalapeno, sliced thin - add to taste

Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Bodacious Brown Bread

I am a sucker for homemade bread. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Give me a side of chocolate chip cookies and I would be in heaven!!

Of course, I have to limit my consumption of either of those foods. But hands down, they are my favorites.

This is an easy, quick and hearty bread. I like it because it is substantial enough to eat with soup or on its own. Most breads that I make to go along with dinner take HOURS. With all the rising, kneading, rising again, then baking....not this one.

And I like it because I have had a sourdough start for years. I mostly use it for pancakes and pizza dough. Now I have something else to use it in.
this is my picture of the bread:

And here is the bread pictured by a professional and posted on line. It is much better than mine, but theirs doesnt have a cute little boy in the background.

Heres the recipe. Since its fall, everyone should bust this out next time they make soup.

For the bread:

1. 2 cups (480 ml.) buttermilk
2. 2 large eggs
3. 1½-2 cups (360-480 ml.) dark molasses (Teri is partial to Grandma’s®)
4. ¾ cup (180 ml.) sourdough starter (see recipe below)
5. 1 cup (240 ml.) all-purpose flour
6. 6 cups (1.44 lt.) whole-wheat flour
7. 1 scant tablespoon (<15 ml.) baking soda (use your judgment; Teri says the full amount leaves a baking soda taste.)

* Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
* Mix together the buttermilk, milk, eggs, molasses and sourdough starter in a large mixing bowl.
* Sift together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours and the baking soda.
* Add the dry ingredients gradually to the wet and completely mix together between each addition.
* Pour the batter into 2 lightly buttered 9×5-inch (22.8×12.7-cm.) loaf pans.
* Let stand for 20 minutes.
* Bake for 50-55 minutes or until bread is firm when tested with a toothpick and comes out clean.

The original post and recipe can be found here
http://www.thetasteoforegon.com/2010/04/12/the-otis-cafe-and-bodacious-brown-bread/

Biscuits and Gravy

First off let me say: if you have ever made Bisquick biscuits, these are a million and one times better than those. Do yourself a favor, skip using the yellow box and try these biscuits. They are crispy on the outside and soft and light inside.

Biscuits and gravy is my favorite breakfast meal. And my kids like to help make it, so its win - win.
Our boys helped me set the table for dinner (we eat breakfast for dinner quite often). When I realized I had a plate with Lightning McQueen on it at my place, I opted to just take a picture of the food while it was still on the stove. I am not sure a CARS plate lends itself to a good picture.
(biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs)
Drop Biscuits

2 cups flour (You could use any combination of wheat and white. I use all wheat and they are still fluffy. If they turn out a little dense, they get smothered with gravy anyway, so it doesnt really matter.)
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
3 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup shortening ( I use Spectrum, its non hydrogenated)

Preheat oven 425. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add shortening and use fork or pastry cutter to combine until it looks like coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until blended. Scoop dough out by spoonful and drop on cooking pan. Bake 12 minutes

Gravy

Brown a little sausage and set aside. In the same cooking pan combine 1 1/3 cups magic mix and about 2 cups water or milk. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Add the sausage back in and serve over hot biscuits.

Big Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe comes from my good friend Allyson. These cookies are hearty and thick so scoop em up big, cuz they are suppose to be substantial.

Cookies are another good way to disguise wheat. Everyone loves cookies, dont they? They are still filled with other stuff that is not necessarily good for you, but they are cookies. Supposed to be a treat. In my opinion, treats are supposed to be good.

A friend brought me some cookies a while back. They were sweetened with honey, the eggs had been replaced with flax and water, and she had omitted the raisins called for in the recipe. The cookies were edible and fit in the category of a healthy food, but they were not very good. If I am going to make a treat and have it in our house, I think it should taste just like its intended to, a treat.

And on the occasion we do have treats, they are homemade. No funky ingredients or additives.

Ally Bs Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 1/3 cups flour ( I use 2 cups wheat and 1 1/3 all purpose)
3/4 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks of butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs and 2 egg yolks
1 Tbs. vanilla
choc chips

Adjust oven racks to upper and lower middle positions. Preheat to 325. Whisk flour, salt, and soda and set aside. Beat butter and sugar on medium speed 1 - 2 minutes. Beat in yolks and eggs and vanilla until just combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and mix in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

scoop out cookies on pans and place 2 in the oven at a time. Bake for 8-9 minutes then switch pans and cook for an additional 8-9 minutes.

Let cool on pan a few minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Incorporating wheat in dinner rolls

People ask me all the time "What do I do? I want my family to eat wheat. Where do I start?" Then they give me a long list of reasons their families wont eat wheat bread. The bread is hard, its too dense, its dry, it doesnt taste good, the loaves are too big so the bread cant be used for sandwiches because it doesnt fit in zip lock bags, it takes too long to make.....there are lots of reasons.

I think learning how to incorporate wheat is a process. Its important to start off small. Try putting a cup of whole wheat flour in a batch of cookies, or substitute a cup or two when making rolls. The trick to good whole wheat products is a good recipe and learning the recipes technique. Sometimes, you might have to try a recipe a few times before it works out. But the most important thing is not to give up. Keep gathering recipes and keep trying. If you are at a pot luck and the homemade rolls are delicious, ask for the recipe. Ask whoever baked them to give you some tips if you need. Somewhere in your baking things will work out. One day you will know just what the dough should look like or just how glossy your rolls should be and that will be the determining factor when adding ingredients. You will realize your dough "looks right" when you add 3 cups of flour instead of the 5 that the recipe calls for.

When I use whole wheat in recipes it is fresh ground. I dont know how that compares to whole wheat flour you can purchase at the store but I imagine they would be interchangeable. (Although, fresh ground grains are always superior in nutrition to the pre ground stuff you buy at the store. But if you dont have a grinder, or dont know someone who does, the store bought stuff will work)

Tonight I made a few dozen of these:

I used 2 cups of fresh ground white wheat and about 3 1/2 cups of regular ole white flour. They were light and fluffy and very flavorful. I dont think anyone would have guessed there was a little bit of actual nutrition in them.

So if you are just starting out with grains and want to incorporate some in a recipe, this is an easy starter. Follow the recipe using 2 cups wheat flour and the remaining 3 or 4 cups will be all purpose flour. Hope you get rave reviews!

recipe here

Crockpot Lasagna

We have a recipe club in our ward, and this month we focused on crock pot recipes. I made this lasagna for the first time and it was pretty yummy.

Ingredients:
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1tsp. italian seasoning
1 jar (28 oz.) Spaghetti sauce (or you could make you own)
1/4 Cup water
1 carton (16 oz) cottage cheese
2 Cups mozzarella cheese, grated

break noodles in half. Place half of the noodles in the bottom of a greased slow cooker. Stir italian seasoning into meat and spread half over the noodles already in the slow cooker. Then layer half of the sauce, water and cottage cheese, and half of the mozzarella cheese over the beef. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours. Do not cook more than 5 hours. makes 6-8 servings.

Chicken Enchiladas

This was the first thing I made with magic mix. When I made up my own cream of chicken soup, I wondered about its taste. I stuck my finger in the pan and when I licked it clean I was surprised. I could have sat at the table and eaten just the soup. It was flavorful and had a great consistency.

I have posted an enchilada recipe before. And it even had homemade cream of chicken base. This one surpasses it in flavor and texture.

Chicken Enchiladas

You can adjust the portions to what you like, enchiladas are forgiving.

2 cups homemade cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 or 2 cups chicken (adjust to your liking or use how ever much comes out of your can)
1 can green chilis
1 cup cooked brown rice (just use this if you have left overs, omit if its not on hand)
1 cup white beans
grated cheese
12 corn tortillas

mix first 6 ingredients plus a handful of shredded cheese in a bowl. Smear the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan with a little bit of the mixture. A thin layer, just enough to keep the tortillas from getting hard or sticking to the pan. Spread 6 tortillas in the bottom of the pan. Spread half the filling over them. Repeat. 6more tortillas, the rest of the chicken mixture and then top with cheese.

Cover and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. serves 6 -8.

Home made cream of chicken soup

please read here before continuing on with this post.

There are a few things that I absolutely will not buy at the store. On that list is the whole line of condensed creamed soups. I looked at the label on a can of Cream of Chicken Soup about 5 years ago. Then I took the can to the computer and googled the ingredients. After reading about all the stuff in those cans, I vowed to never have them in my house.

This takes just a little more effort than opening a can but it is worth it. Flavor, nutrition, texture...its all so good!

The magic mix I posted about earlier is very versatile. It can be used as a base for white sauce, creamed soups, even fudgsicles!

I busted out some cream of chicken soup with it a few days ago. Easy peasy. And delicious!

Last year, I canned a bunch of chicken so when ever I open a jar and strain off the water, I save it and put it in the freezer. It is perfect for adding to this recipe. You can also use chicken stock. If you purchase chicken stock, READ THE LABEL. We are going for nutrition here, so be sure to buy stock without additives, preservatives, flavor enhancers, sugar, or anything that shouldnt be in stock/broth.

Cream of Chicken Soup



1 cup magic mix
3/4 cup chicken stock/broth
1 t dried parsley (I didnt use any parsley)
1 t minced onion (optional)
1 t minced garlic (optional)
salt
pepper

Combine magic mix and chicken broth/stock. Stir constantly over medium high heat until mixture thickens. Add spices and continue whisking until all combined. Use this as a substitute for canned soup.

MAGIC MIX

I was so happy when I found this base for cream soups. 3 ingredients, simple and easy. No fillers, enhancers, additives, or preservatives.

I have tried to replicate creamed soups a number of times. Some times it works, some times it doesnt.

I found a basic white sauce recipe in a book I borrowed from a friend.


It is easy, economical and nice to have on hand. Not to mention, it is a zillion times better for your health than anything Campell's can provide.

Magic Mix

2 1/3 cups powdered milk (use that food storage!!)
1 cup all purpose flour or 1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp.

Combine dry milk, flour or cornstarch, and butter in a large bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until it looks like cornmeal. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Keeps up to 8 months.

Chocolate peanut butter cookie bars

These were so easy and pretty yummy too.

1 Cup (2 sticks) butter
1 Cup Peanut Butter
2 Cups powdered sugar
1 3/4 crushed graham crackers (I used my food processor)
2 cups milk chocolate chips

In a pan melt butter and peanut butter together. Stir in powdered sugar and graham crackers. Press mixture firmly into a 9x13 pan. melt chocolate chips; them spread on top of Peanut Butter Mixture. Chill until firm. Remove from the fridge and allow cookies to warm to room temperature. Cut into squares. ( if cookies are still cold, the chocolate will crack.)

Figueroa's Healthiest Cookies

No kidding, these cookies are delicious!  My sister told me about them and ranted and raved.  This weekend I was able to try them out and was suprised that they were so healthy and yet so tasty.

1 cup butter
12 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup spelt flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. all natural sea salt
1 cup cane sugar
2 cups blended oats
1 cup bran
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Measure oats and bran, blend in blender to a fine powder.  Cream butter and both sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla. Mix together with flour, oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda.  Add chocolate chips. Using cookie scoop, place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.

Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes about 56 cookies.

just giving a shout out

Just wanted to thank you all that keep the recipes coming on here. I've not been a great contributor as I get caught up with life but just wanted you all to know that I use this blog for ideas - thank you again!

Carrot Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins

After posting that last recipe, I thought I might need to make it up with something a little more healthy.

2 large carrots - shredded

2 cups quick oats

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 cups milk

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400.

Combine flour through cinnamon in bowl; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in another bowl. Mix wet into dry just until combined.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done.

Recipe from Cristine Cooks

Triple Berry Cobbler

In my rush to get out the door to dinner yesterday, I completely spaced snapping a quick picture.  So sorry!

  And now I must give credit where credit is due.  I was asked to bring dessert to our Sunday get together with extended family yesterday and was at a loss as to what to make.  I asked my sister for some ideas and she told me about this cobbler that her neighbor, Jill, makes.  My sister isn't a fan of cobbler but swears this is the only one she will eat.  I decided to go with it.  I justified the amount of sugar and butter by telling myself I would only be having a little piece and that it was Sunday so I was off the hook as far as eating good.  I'm glad I did!  It was super yummy!  It seems like it uses a lot of bowls but just go with it!  That's what makes it special.

5-6 cups frozen mixed berries (I used blueberries, blackberries and raspberries but you can use any frozen fruit.)

2 Tbs. Cornstarch

Coat the fruit with the cornstarch and add to a 9x13 pan.

In a bowl combine:

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 salt

Mix together.

In another bowl combine:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 cube) melted butter

2 tsp. Vanilla

2/3 cup Milk

Mix together and add it to the dry ingredients.  Stir together and spoon over fruit.  Don't spread it too thin, but make sure that most of the fruit is covered with the topping.

2/3 cup HOT water

1 1/2 cup sugar.

Mix together and pour over top.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Bean Dip

This is a pretty basic bean dip. Just layer what you like in the pan and scoop it up with chips. I served it cold. If you wanted to warm it up, just pop it in the oven for about 20 minutes. Dont bake the tomatoes though, put them on last if you heat it up.

Bean Dip

Pinto beans - I cooked my own pinto beans and once they were tender, I smashed them up and added some homemade taco seasoning and Tabasco sauce to them. You could use canned re fried beans too.
sour cream
salsa
smashed up avocado
cheese
tomatoes
olives
I had some cooked quinoa in the fridge, so I put a layer of that in there too! No one detected my sneaky addition

Layer everything in a pan and serve with corn chips

Homemade Cliff Bar (NO SUGAR!)

I ran across these a few days ago. We like Cliff Bars, and eat quite a bit of them actually. I tried making these and they did not dissapoint! They are yummy!

1 and 1/4 cups crisp rice cereal
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons ground flax
1/4 cup finely chopped dried fruit (e.g., raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, etc.)
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts or seeds
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/2 cup nut butter (preferably natural, well-stirred, but creamy is fine, too)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine the rice cereal, oats, flax seed meal, dried fruit, and nuts in a large bowl.

Combine the syrup and nut butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted and well-blended. Stir in vanilla until blended.

Pour nut butter mixture over cereal mixture, stirring until coated
Press mixture firmly into an 8-inch square pan (sprayed with nonstick cooking spray)
I ate a little corner of this before I remembered to get a picture. They are delicious!

Quinoa Meatballs with Tomato Sauce

This recipe is a modified version of a recipe I found on Dr Ozs website. I like it because it reduces the amount of meat used by adding quinoa, my favorite grain. And the tomato sauce was yummy, nothing like the stuff from a can or jar!

Sauce

1 large onion, diced
3 celery stalks, sliced into small pieces
1 large carrot, sliced into small pieces
1 can tomatoes, chopped with juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
I also added corn and chopped spinach

Heat the oil in a pan and add onion, celery, and carrot. Cook until tender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, vinegar. Simmer about 20 minutes. Add spinach and corn during the last few minutes of cooking.

Meatballs

1 small onion
1/2 lb lean ground beef (or turkey)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 cup cooked quinoa
salt pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Heat the oil in a small skillet and cook the onion until soft. In a large bowl combine beef, quinoa, cheese, egg, salt, pepper, and cooked onions. Still until very smooth. Roll into meat balls and bake 20 minutes.

Serve over angel hair pasta or linguine.

Butter Pecan Cookies

I found the recipe for these here. They are soft and yummy and were fun to make with my kids. My boys dumped the ingredients in the mixing bowl and then smashed the pecans on top of the cookies, I hardly had to do any work. These are a definite repeat!

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and egg. Mix until well blended.
2. Slowly add flour and salt and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4. Roll one inch pieces of dough into balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten balls with the bottom of a glass dipped in flour. Press a pecan into top of dough.
5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until lightly colored.